Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is involved in angiogenesis. Inhibition of VEGF influences this process and may restrict tumor growth and metastatic ability. Bevacizumab (AVASTIN®) is a recombinant humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody, which binds to human VEGF-A and prevents its interaction with VEGF tyrosine kinase, thereby inducing blockage of VEGF-mediated angiogenesis.
Cancer is the leading cause of canine death. In necropsy (autopsy) of 2000 dogs, 23% of all dogs, regardless of age, and 45% of dogs 10 years of age or older attributed the cause of death as cancer. Estimates of age-adjusted overall cancer incidence rates per 100,000 animals per year at risk range from 381 for dogs. These are incidence rates comparable with rate of cancer in human beings (Vail et al., 2000).